Vermont

Earthquake History

A violent earthquake, probably centered in
the St. Lawrence Valley, was felt throughout
the New England area on June 11, 1638. Other
strong shocks on April 14, 1658, February 10,
1661, February 5, 1663, September 16, 1732,
November 29, 1783, and October 17, 1860,
were felt over broad portions of the region.
Also, the major earthquake of November 18,
1755, east of
Cape Ann, Massachusetts, affected a large
area (about 777,000 square kilometers),
including all of Vermont.

On December 18, 1867, an early morning
shock awakened persons (MM V) in Burlington,
Vermont, Odgensburg and Syracuse, New York, and
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The tremor was
also reported felt as far as east as Sackville, New
Brunswick, Canada. Previously listed as centered
in Vermont, this earthquake may have
had its origin in the St. Lawrence Valley
region, the dominant seismic zone in the area.
Many of the earlier earthquakes have limited
information and the historical
accounts are indefinite.

Little damage resulted from what was
described as a "severe" shock in northeastern
New York on May 27, 1897. It was felt over an
area approximately 288,000 square kilometers, including
New York, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, and parts of Quebec, Canada.
A similar earthquake centered in southeastern
Maine on March 21, 1904.
This shock
was felt throughout the greater part of New
England and the provinces of New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia. The affected area was about
the same as that of the previous tremor.
Chimneys were damaged at Calais and Eastport,
Maine, and St. Stephen, New Brunswick,
Canada.

An earthquake on October 22, 1905, was
felt over a small area of northern Vermont.
The early morning shock (estimated MM IV)
was centered near Newport. A minor earthquake
at Berlin, New Hampshire, on April 25, 1928, was
also felt in parts of Maine and Vermont.

Two strong earthquakes in 1929 and 1935
located at great distances from the Vermont
borders were felt throughout all or most of the
State. A
magnitude 7.2 shock on November
18, 1929, fractured 12 submarine cables in the
Grand Banks area of the Atlantic Ocean. The
tremor was felt in all the New England States.
Many people in southeastern Maine were
alarmed by the shock, which knocked articles
from shelves. Reports of cracked plaster were
received from Hartford, Vermont. At numerous
other places in the State, slight rattling of
doors and windows was reported. Two or
three shocks were noted by many persons. On
November 1, 1935, a magnitude 6.25 earthquake
near Timiskaming, Quebec, Canada,
was felt over an area of 2,600,000 square kilometers in the
United States and Canada. The strongest
intensities observed in Vermont were from
Bennington, Brattleboro, St. Johnsbury, and
White River Junction. Some cracks in walls
were noted; also, beds shook and windows and
dishes rattled.

On December 20, 1940, a strong earthquake
(estimated magnitude 5.8) occurred near Lake
Ossipee, New Hampshire. This was followed by a shock of
approximately the same intensity 4 days later.
Some damage resulted in the epicentral
region. At Bloomfield, Vermont, the top bricks on
some old chimneys were displaced. Many
persons were awakened by the 2:27 a.m.
tremor on December 20. Other effects
reported included cracked plaster and stucco,
broken dishes, and overturned objects. An
earthquake near Massena, New York (12:29 a.m.
Eastern War Time, September 5, 1944), was
felt strongly at Burlington, Rutland, and St.
Albans, Vermont. Lesser intensities were noted
throughout the State.

On January 29, 1952, a local shock near
Burlington affected an area of about 130
square kilometers. Minor damage included cracks in
pavement, basement walls, and a city gas main
(MM VI). Ground cracks about 3 kilometers
long and 4.5 meters apart were observed in the
North End. The earthquake was also felt at
Essex Junction, where cracked walls were
noted. Other tremors were felt in the area the
following day. A moderately strong earthquake
in the Rutland area about 1 year later
caused only MM V effects. Houses trembled,
some furniture was moved, knicknacks fell,
and other small objects were disturbed at
Brandon and Rutland from the March 31,
1953, tremor. Rattling of dishes and windows
were observed at other communities in the
nearby region. The tremor was also felt in
northern Washington County, New York.

Another local shock at Burlington occurred
on February 2, 1955. Houses shook, windows
and dishes rattled, and many thought their
oil burners had blown up (MM V). A large
ground crack was seen in the North Burlington
area. Other tremors were reported a few
hours later. An April 23, 1957, earthquake was
felt by many within a radius of 24 kilometers of
St. Johnsbury. Buildings shook; windows and
dishes rattled (MM V). Many persons thought
there had been an explosion or a plane crash.
Felt reports were received from Danville, East
Barnet, Lyndonville, Passumpsic, St. Johnsbury,
Waterford, and West Barnet.

An earthquake centered in western Vermont
on April 10, 1962, caused MM V effects
over a large area. The total felt region covered
about 52,000 square kilometers of Vermont, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York. A
beam supporting the Vermont State House at
Montpelier was dislodged and the brace
dropped about 127 millimeters, two beams
under the dome were weakened, and 20
window panes cracked. Cracked plaster was
reported. At Barre, several pieces of tile fell
from the ceiling of a bank, and two cracks
appeared in walls. The shock was also felt
strongly at a number of places in nearby New
Hampshire and New York. Less than 3 months
later (June 20, 1962), a large portion
of Vermont experienced MM V effects from a
shock in southern Quebec Province, Canada.
A chimney was cracked at North Montpelier.
Slight damage occurred at Springfield, Vermont,
from a June 20, 1964, earthquake centered at
Warner, New Hampshire, about 55 kilometers away. MM V
effects were also noted at White River
Junction. Lesser intensities were observed in
several other Vermont towns.

All of Vermont felt tremors from a magnitude
5.2 earthquake located in western Maine.
The June 14, 1973, shock was felt over an area
of about 250,000 square kilometers, including portions of
Maine, New York, eastern Quebec Province,
and all of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, and Rhode Island. MM VI effects
were felt at Canaan and Montpelier, Vermont.
Plaster was cracked, chimneys moved away
from walls, and some road surface cracks were
reported.